Reishin
by Redeim
Summary: The Suzaku Seishi live in modern Japan, and Miaka&Taka are married with one child and Nuriko&Hotohori are together. When Miaka&Taka ask them to come to the adoption agency with them, they didn't expect to adopt a kid themselves. Forever unfinished. Sorry.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Reishin

**Author: **Redeim/Mykah

**Pairing: **Hotohori/Nuriko, Miaka/Taka

**Summary: **the Suzaku seishi are now living in modern Japan, and Miaka and Taka are married with one child. Hotohori found Nuriko and told him his feelings for the strongest seishi. When Miaka and Taka ask the couple to come with them to the adoption agency, they didn't expect to adopt a child themselves.

**Author's Note: **I wrote this a few YEARS ago… -dies- But I decided to fix this up, at least.

-goes over her FY info to make sure she remembers enough of it- x.x

_Nuriko's PoV_

When Hotohori and I went to the adoption agency with Miaka and Taka, we hadn't planned on adopting a kid ourselves…

Let me back up a bit. I'm Nuriko. My boyfriend, Hotohori, Taka, and four other friends of ours are Suzaku warriors. About five years ago, Miaka finished her role as priestess. During her exploration through the book, The Universe of the Four Gods, she met all of us. Five of us died in some sort of battle against the Seiryuu warriors.

Once Miaka got back to this world, she met Taka. They fell in love as quickly as in they did in the book world, got married, and had a daughter named Hikari. As Hikari grew up, Miaka and Taka traveled around Japan looking for other reincarnated seishi.

Meanwhile, Hotohori had found me. Having regained his memories much earlier, He helped me regained mine. We became a couple after he explained he didn't realize he loved me until I died, probably the strangest thing to think about. We later found Tasuki, and eventually met up with Miaka, who had found the other four.

When Hikari was four, Miaka and Taka decided they wanted to adopt a child. But they were too chicken to go alone, so Hotohori and I went with them. Considering I still cross-dressed, no one gave us strange looks, to everyone beside the four of us, we were two just couples-two girls two guys- who might adopt a child.

When we walked into the adoption agency, Miaka and Taka explained to the secretary that they wanted to adopt a child, but didn't know where to start. The secretary asked them questions, while Hotohori and I just sat in the corner, being their support and making sure Miaka didn't eat all the candy on the desk, even though the candy was glass.

After a while, the secretary took all the millions of papers they filled out, and led the four of us to a room where little kids were playing.

"Are you two going to adopt a child, too?" The lady asked, it took us a few moments to realize she was talking to us...

"What? Oh no. We're just here to help them decide." I said, pointing to Miaka and Taka. The lady smiled.

"I'll be in the corner if you need me." She told us.

Miaka and Taka were already looking around, and Hotohori and I were just relaxing in another corner.

A little girl of about four or five walked up to us. She seemed a little short for her age, and had greenish-brown hair and navy blue eyes. She was an odd one indeed.

"Hi!" She said, smiling. She reminded me of someone...Though I couldn't place who.

"Whatch'ya doing?" She asked us.

"We're being bumps on a log." I replied monotonely.

"Can I play?" She asked innocently.

I looked at her and laughed. "Sure." I responded. She sat down next to us. Still smiling, she leaned closer to me and latched onto my arm.

"Ah! Kid! What are you doing?!" She looked up at me, her face showing a bit of sadness.

"Y'know what? You remind me of my daddy. Before he got remarried. I had two daddies! Though at first I only had one. But I don't remember my mommy." She rambled. Hotohori and I looked at each other. 'She's had experience with a gay couple raising her!' We seemed to share the thought, both of us smiling like idiots. We walked over to the lady who was sitting in the corner silently reading. I ended up dragging the girl with me, because she clung to my leg once I got her off my arm.

"Umm. Excuse me... Can we see this girl's biography?" The lady looked up from her book.

"Ahh...Yes, Reishin."

Wow...The name sounded familiar...but why?

"Here you go." Looking through her bio, I realized that yes, this girl was raised by two guys, she's been in the adoption center for two years, and she was six. It didn't tell Hotohori or me much, but it told us enough.

"We'd like to adopt her. I think we'll have some...similarities to her last family." I explained. The lady looked up from her desk.

"Oh? How so?" I smiled slightly.

"Well... You see… We're both guys..." I said quietly, shyly.

"Well, y see...sir"

"ma'am, please."

"...Ma'am we're trying to encourage her to not to go with another same-sex couple..."

"Why?" I asked, annoyance suddenly rising in me, "What does it matter?! Shouldn't you worry more about the child's happiness than the gender of the parents?" I asked. The lady sighed.

"Well I'd love to get her a home with loving parents without having to worry about gender...But, it's against the law!" (Just pretend.) I looked at Reishin. She looked at me, still holding onto my leg, tears welling in her eyes. Looking back at the lady, I asked, "Can't you just make an exception just this once? Practically everything but my birth certificate says I'm female!" She giggled, and so did Miaka, only louder. The lady sobered and shook her head.

"I'd love to...But I might get fired if I do..." Deciding to play devil's advocate, I turned towards Reishin.

"I'm sorry Reishin, you seem like a nice girl...really. But we're not allowed to adopt you. I really wish we could. It's not allowed. You can ask your next family why not...Who knows...Maybe by then, we would've been allowed..." I looked over at the lady, who was staring at us. I could tell she wanted Reishin to go to a good family. She took some papers from her desk.

"Well, are you going to fill out the papers, or will your boyfriend do that?" I smiled. She was a nice lady... Hotohori and I started filling out the papers as Miaka and Taka filled out the papers to adopt a baby boy that looked a lot like Tamahome's brother did when he was a baby.


	2. Chapter 2 What! I'm uncreative

Chapter 2

_Nuriko's PoV_

Once we got back home, Reishin was already comfortable with us, though Hotohori had to go off to work.

"Are you two married?" She asked.

I sighed. "No, we're not. We pretend we are though."

Reishin smiled. "My daddy told me once that he couldn't get married to my other daddy either, because it was illegible."

I laughed. "Illegal, and yes, it is...unfortunately."

Reishin pried some more. "But how come? I thought you're supposed to get married if you love each other so much?"

I looked at her, she was looking at me with those big dark blue eyes like a puppy would.

"You are right, in a way." I explained.

"But people have to sign a lot of papers and things in order to get married."

Reishin cocked her head to the side. "Like when you adopted me?" She asked.

"Sort of. Only for a wedding instead." She smiled and I smiled back.

"Where's Hotohori?" She asked suddenly. Hotohori had started going to work a little while ago to keep rent coming each month. Don't get me wrong, we weren't dirt poor, but we weren't filthy rich either, which was a change for both of us.

"Hotohori went to work." I replied.

"Where does he work?" Reishin pried.

"It's a bit complicated…" I told her, just not feeling like explaining to her.

"Where does he work?" She repeated.

"He works in a place that makes a lot of money, so he gets paid." I replied sarcastically.

"That makes no sense." She whined, crossing her arms over her chest.

I remained silent and smiled at her.

"I told you it was complicated..."

She smiled back. "I guess you were right!" She replied cheekily.

We sat in silence for all of two minutes when Reishin made another comment.

"I'm bored." She said, plain as day.

"Well...Oh! I know, let's go visit Miaka and Hikari and her new baby son." Reishin smiled.

"Okay!" I soon discovered that walking was a mistake. Carrying Reishin on my back, she was bombarding me with questions.

"Is Miaka nice?" She asked. I was silent for a few seconds, then responded, "She can be...She's kind of annoying sometimes."

Reishin laughed. Then she added, "Is Hikari nice? Is she my age?" I had to actually think about that one... I didn't know Hikari that well, but I knew she was kind of shy to meet the others.

"You might like her Reishin, I'm not sure. She's four, which is close enough to your own age... You can think of her like a cousin, I guess." Reishin was silent for a few moments.

"Does that means I call Miaka Aunt Miaka?" She asked innocently.

"It depends on how you feel. I mean, sometimes Hikari calls me Aunt Nuriko...Sometimes just Nuriko." Reishin poked her head over my shoulder.

"And what should I call you? Mommy? Nuriko? Daddy?"

"Not daddy." I replied quickly.

"You can me and Hotohori whatever you feel like calling us, but don't call me daddy or Hotohori mommy. It's that simple." Reishin thought for a moment.

"Okay, I think I get it..." Stepping onto Miaka's patio, I set Reishin down and rang the doorbell. Or I was about to at least...

"I wanna ring it!" Reishin yelled, holding her fingers so she could ring it. I laughed and picked her up a bit so she could ring the door bell.

Hikari and Reishin ended up playing with the baby the entire time, so it gave Miaka and I a chance to catch up on what was happening with the other. Not much could be said, though we did end up eating a lot, and ended up spoiling Hikari and Reishin's dinner, breakfast, and lunch for practically the next two days...

At six o' clock that night, I decided to drag (Yes, drag) Reishin away from Miaka's house to get home before Hotohori did. Telling Reishin that we'd go back to Miaka's another day, we arrived just as Hotohori's car pulled up into the driveway.

"Where have you two been?" He asked. I continued pulling Reishin until she ran over to Hotohori and gave him a hug.

"We were at Miaka's place. It's too boring in that house…" I suddenly thought of something, and snapped my fingers, "Hey! Tomorrow's your day off, right? Let's go do something!" I decided. It sounded like fun, and Reishin needed some family time to get to know both of us better.

"Sounds good." Hotohori agreed, then he looked at Reishin.

"Where do you want to go, Reishin?" He asked. She thought for a bit.

"The beach!" She exclaimed. I clapped my hands together.

"Sounds great! It's a date." I winked.

'We have big plans with our daughter...Man that's fun to think about.' I thought excitedly as I drifted off to sleep. I had always envied the couples that had a kid and could be happy-could be normal. Now, finally, Hotohori and I had the chance to be that one couple. And no one would notice.


	3. The Beach Trip

Chapter 3

_Nuriko's PoV_

The next day, Reishin, Hotohori, and I piled into our car and set off for the beach. It would be a semi-long drive, the beach was about two hours away... We gave Reishin music, and a few toys to keep her entertained.

(About an hour later)

"Are we there yet?" Reishin whined.

"Not yet." Hotohori replied before I could.

"How much longer?" Reishin asked.

"About another hour." I told her, smiling as Hotohori was about to open his mouth.

"But Nuriko..." Reishin whined, squirming in her seat.

"Yes...?" I asked, looking back at her.

"I have to go potty..." She told me, her face scrunched up in some weird shape.

"Hotohori..." I called, letting out a sigh.

"I heard..." He replied simply.

"You finding a place to stop?" I asked him.

"Yup." Hotohori replied with a small smile.

What a day this would turn out to be... With Reishin, it seemed like the day would get to be so much fun. Almost every time we had to baby-sit Hikari, we would either go to the park or the beach. It was so much fun. Then there were the evenings Hotohori and I would go to a romantic setting just because we could. We would call up Miaka and Taka and laugh at them for not being able to have romantic evenings anymore, because they had a child.

(Half an hour and two stops later...)

"Nuriko..." Reishin whined again.

"...Yes...?" I hissed, getting agitated after taking her to two restrooms and buying her a drink.

"Are we there yet?" She whined again.

"Very soon, I promise." I replied with a sigh.

"How soon?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

She was getting on my nerves. Smiling, I turned around and jokingly told her that if she wouldn't be quite, I'd throw her into the ocean. She squeaked and went back to playing a game I had gotten for her. Hotohori chuckled at my job of keeping Reishin quite.

"Alright! We're here!" Reishin exclaimed, getting out of the car on her own and running out onto the sand. Running after her, I turned around quickly and said, "Hotohori, I'll help you in a moment, just let me get Reishin to get her stuff, okay?" Hotohori nodded and I resumed my chase.

"Got'cha!" I said as I picked up Reishin. She squealed and laughed as I picked her up.

"Come on, we gotta help Hotohori get all the stuff out, then we can play. Okay?"

"Fine." She stated stubbornly.

It was a nice day, and Reishin was in a small summer dress while I was in swim shorts and a tanktop while Hotohori wore a t-shirt and shorts to swim in. I figured I wouldn't get anything but my feet wet.

I was wrong. 

I ended up changing into a t-shirt Hotohori had brought so I could go swimming with Reishin while he cooked hot dogs. When we came back about an hour later, the hot dogs were ready and Hotohori was waiting patiently for us to go change into dry clothes.

"Reishin will be here in a moment, she's just going to the bathroom..." I told him, slightly out of breath as I leaned against him on the picnic bench.

"Just keep an eye on the bathroom... We don't need her getting lost or taken." He told me simply.

"I know that! I'm not dumb, or anything..." I growled, getting up and instead leaning against the fence that led to the beach.

"I know, I'm just saying, watch out." He repeated, not looking up from making the food for us.

We've had small fights a lot recently. But I didn't want to mention anything, I was worried we would get into a fight about how we didn't fight...

'Are Hotohori and I drifting apart?' I wondered, hoping it wasn't true... I sat back, that couldn't be true. But as I thought back to the past few weeks, I realized I never saw Hotohori anymore-except on his days off. He was always working or busy doing something. I sighed sadly, turning away from Hotohori and concentrating all my mind on waiting for Reishin to come out of the bathroom. Hotohori looked at me, puzzled, but I just smiled and looked back as Reishin started to walk up... Well, more like bounce.

"I called the school, they're closed for today, but I left a message and they should call back tomorrow." I told Hotohori after Reishin had gone to sleep.

"Alright." Hotohori replied lightly

"Hotohori?" I choked back tears.

"Yes?" He answered simply

"Why-" I started, but then Hotohori stood up and went in front of me.

"Nuriko... I wasn't sure how to tell you this, but I got an offer to go work in Washington for a few months... I wanted to know if you were okay with me going. It'll offer better pay, so we won't have to worry about rent as much." He explained. 

I felt my heart sink as I forced a smile, and even a laugh. "Yeah, sure... More money... Go ahead." I told him. I thought it sounded amazingly fake, but Hotohori bought it. Smiling, he said, "Good, I'm glad you agree. You're okay with taking care of Reishin for that long, then?" 

I looked up, then replied, "Of course, don't worry, I'll be fine. Just-uh, leave the car here..." He nodded and resumed his reading.

That night, when Hotohori and Reishin were sleeping. I called Miaka's house.

After a bit of ringing, Taka picked up. "Hello?"

I was bit surprised as I asked, "Taka? Is Miaka sleeping already?" I could almost see Taka nod before replying, "Yeah. Something wrong Nuriko? You sound sad..."

"Listen, can I meet you at the coffee shop downtown? I really someone to talk to..." I told him quickly.

"Yeah sure. But what about your daughter?" I could see another nod come from him again.

"Hotohori's with her-They're both sleeping anyway." I explained to him.

"Alright, just lemme leave Miaka a note." He told me before hanging up.

"Okay." I replied long after the line started telling to hang up.

_Narrator's PoV_

"Nuriko? What's wrong?" Taka had noticed Nuriko sitting in the corner of the coffee shop at a two person table. Sitting down, he looked worriedly at his seemingly older... sibling. Nuriko explained to Taka that it seemed like he and Hotohori were getting further apart, and that now Hotohori was going to work in Washington for a few months, leaving him and Reishin all alone for a few months. Taka just listened as Nuriko explained how he felt Hotohori was slipping away from him.

Taka listened to everything Nuriko had to say and then ask, "Have you told him all you just told me?"

Nuriko flushed slightly as he shook his head, "Well, no... I don't want to sound selfish though..."

Taka patted the other man's shoulder, smiling. "You can't sound selfish while you're speaking your mind. You worried you two are going to break up, right?" Nuriko nodded. 

Taka continued, "Then tell him that! You two had trouble even getting together last time, and you're worried that you're going to end up having to just watch him from afar again."

_Nuriko's PoV_

"You know...You're right." I said finally, as we were walking through a park to go home. Taka just mumbled an "uh-huh" as we continued walking.

"You're not, cold, are you Taka?" I asked, wrapping his jacket tighter around me. He shook his head, then replied, "I'm fine." I smiled at him.

"I'm so glad I could get to know you." I laughed, then added, "Imagine where'd we be now if my attitude never changed from when we first met?" Taka smiled, then responded, "I'd still be hiding from you..."

"Bondage is always fun." I teased as Taka tensed up and scooted away from me. Waving my wand to show I was only kidding, we walked up to his porch. I hugged him, just a brotherly-friendship kind of hug.

"Thank you Taka. I'm so glad I can always talk to you..." Just as a joke, I gave him a kiss on the cheek, then winked at him as I walked back home. He laughed nervously and waved goodbye.

"Oh wait! Taka!" I called as I put my hands into pockets. He turned around and I added, "I'll give back the jacket later, okay?" He nodded and said goodbye again, then walked into the house.

"So, Hotohori, when are you leaving?" I asked him the next morning. He responded with a simple "tomorrow" then went on making breakfast. Choking back on tears, I suddenly asked him, "Why don't we ever talk anymore?" Hotohori turned around.

"We talk." I shook my head.

"No we don't. We're either arguing or I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall... I thought you said you always wanted to be with me..." I cried, no tears more painful than them falling, my arms around my waist in some sort of self comfort.

"I do. But I'm taking this job for the family. So we can get more money." I went over and embraced him, then said, "But we don't need anymore money..." I didn't want to let go, I didn't want to lose him...


	4. You know that time when

Chapter 4

_Narrator's PoV_

Hotohori looked, almost stunned, at Nuriko, realizing for the first time the fellow seishi was holding back tears as Nuriko moved away and looked at the ground. He moved over to Nuriko, holding on to him. "Nuriko..." He started.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" He asked a few seconds later. Nuriko looked as if he had been hit with something hard. He stared Hotohori in the eyes, but quickly looked away. "You seemed so happy to get the job in Washington, I didn't want to stop you... Or sound selfish. But I mean, I feel as if we're drifting apart, but I don't want that... I have all my memories from before, and it's as if they're still fresh in my mind when I think of what's happening now... And I'm rambling..." He explained with a cynical laugh, tears finally flowing free. He wiped them away and looked at Hotohori apologetically. He laughed, a forced laugh, and said, "I'm sorry, I probably made no sense." 

But Hotohori couldn't speak, it was his turn to feel hit. He just shook his head, and forced out, "No, I understood."

Later that afternoon, Hotohori collapsed on the couch, deep in thought. He never

realized how Nuriko was feeling. He knew what it was like to face an unrequited love,

but this time, it wasn't Miaka he had wanted. And now, without realizing it, he was

making Nuriko relive what they had both experienced during their previous lives.

'What time did Nuriko say he'd get back?' He wondered, looking at his watch. Nuriko had taken Reishin and Hikari to the park that was just built a town over. He got up and called Nuriko's cell phone.

"Hotohori?" Nuriko answered almost questioningly, he still sounded a bit depressed

about their talk that morning.

"Hey... Umm... What time did you say you'd be home?" He asked.

"Oh, about four, We're gonna meet Miaka after she gets off work and go hang out for a bit." Nuriko explained.

"Do you think you could get Miaka to watch Reishin for a bit afterwards? I wanna

take you somewhere for dinner, just the two of us." He explained. He could almost see the

stars in Nuriko's eyes.

"Yeah, I'll ask her and call you back around four, okay?"

"Okay. Bye." He said and hung up. He was supposed to go to work soon, so

he figured he could work until four. He called his boss, whom Hotohori knew wouldn't

be happy.

_With Nuriko and the children_

"Nuriko!" Hikari called. The girls ran over to their supervisor for the day. Both

smiling, Nuriko knew what they were going to ask before they asked it-he could hear the bells.

"Can you have ice cream, right?" He asked with a small smile. They both nodded. Nuriko's smile widened, but he shook his head.

"I'm okay with Reishin getting ice cream, but your mother said no sweets Hikari. It

would only be fair if I didn't let you get ice cream..." Nuriko looked around, as if expecting

Miaka to appear out of nowhere.

"After we eat lunch, I'll treat you both to a sundae, okay? That's better than a stupid

popsicle."

"Yes!" They both replied happily. Nuriko smiled as the girls went to go play again.

Another mother sat down next to him.

"Are they both yours?" She asked politely.

"Oh no, just the taller one." Nuriko said happily. He grabbed Miaka's son

out of the carriage, and glanced at the other mother's baby boy. "That's a cute baby." He

told her.

"Thank you. You know, it's not often the father is out here..." Nuriko looked a little

shocked. He wasn't necessarily in a dress, but he wasn't in the most masculine clothing

either. He laughed nervously.

"Heh heh... Well... " He debated. He knew there were people who wouldn't like

it if he admitted Reishin had two dads, but for some reason, he knew he could trust this

person. There was something familiar about this person, but he couldn't quite put a finger

on it. He decided to go for it. He smiled, still polite, "She has two dads, so it's just us

guys..." The mother looked surprised for a moment, silent for what seemed like forever,

before the mother laughed. "I'm surprised to meet someone else like me here..." She stated.

Nuriko was dumbfounded. "Wha-Whaaat!" He said, almost too loud. The other "mother"

extended their hand out.

"I'm Tama-Tama, nice to meet you..."

"Nuriko." He smiled and shook Tama-Tama's hand.

'That name...' He thought. 'But it can't be!' He just smiled again, and then looked over

towards Reishin and Hikari. He felt like he was going insane. 'First Korin, then the other Seishi,now Tama-Tama!" He thought. 'Having the same siblings is weird enough...' He collapsed onto the bench. Hikari and Reishin ran over to Nuriko, out of breath but still smiling.

"We're hungry Nuriko." Hikari stated. Reishin nodded in agreement. "We want our sundaes

now." Reishin said and this time, Hikari smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Woah! I said lunch first, then sundaes! Not the other way around..." Nuriko looked

back to Tama-Tama. "This is my first time here, but I'll probably be coming here weekly, wanna meet up again next week, if we have time?" He offered. 

Tama-Tama smiled, and responded, "Sure! I'll make sure to have time, it was great meeting you." They smiled at each other, their common bond linking them as if they had been friends forever. Nuriko laughed slightly at the irony of their actions, "Likewise," He replied.

--

Tama-Tama is the person that taught Nuriko how to pass as a girl. In Yukiyasha Den (Nuriko's Gaiden novel), they meet after Nuriko leaves his hometown, and they became friends quickly because Tama-Tama was well, an experienced cross-dresser and Nuriko was still a novice.


End file.
